“They sound like my kind of girls.”
“Okay.” He kept hold of my hands and looked me dead in the eyes, commanding my complete attention. “Let’s make a deal. We work together. A partnership if you like. I protect you and you can cover my ass too. What do you say?”
“I think I can handle that.”
“There’s one more thing bothering me.” He held my gaze, but I could see the apprehension in his eyes as he spoke. He wasn’t sure I was going to like the next thing he said, I could tell.
“Spit it out, Cill.”
“I don’t like you sleeping all the way down the hall. I wouldn’t be able to get to you quick enough if, God forbid, something were to happen to you. You’re too far away. I don’t feel in control and I hate it.”
I knew what he was getting at, and the thought of moving rooms filled me with dread, but at the same time, curious butterflies were also dancing around my tummy. “I like my space,” I announced, but I was intrigued by his proposal.
“And I’d give you space, just hear me out. You come and sleep in my room. That way, if anything happens, I’ll know where you are. It works both ways. You’ll know where I am too. Safety in numbers if you like. There won’t be any funny business.” He held up his hands, as if he were surrendering and showing me how truly innocent his proposition was. “I’ll set up a bed on the floor or sleep on that little couch in there, but I’m not going another night with you a million miles away down the hall. We can be bedroom buddies. Like a sleepover. Just pretend I’m one of the girls.”
I agreed it was a good idea, but I wasn’t convinced by his, ‘see me as one of the girls’ comment. He was all man, after all. A red-blooded, hot alpha male, and that wasn’t something I’d ever forget. I didn’t want to. I liked the feelings he gave me when I watched him working or stalking about the house. I liked the gruff way he spoke sometimes, and the power he exuded. Sure, it’d be a distraction having him in the same room, but the thought of trying to sleep with Xena in my little bedroom, knowing the brothers were out there somewhere made me hit maximum anxiety levels. I didn’t want to slip back into old habits. I didn’t want those soul-destroying nightmares to consume me again. If being closer to Cill at night time helped to break that vicious cycle, then I’d do it.
“Fine.” I gave a little fake huff just for good measure.
“You’ll do it?” He looked genuinely shocked that I’d agreed so readily.
“Yes, I’ll do it. You’re right, it makes sense.” I shrugged nonchalantly, as if the prospect of sleeping in the same four walls as a hot guy like him was an everyday occurrence for a girl like me.
He pursed his lips and nodded in agreement. “I thought I’d have to do way more arguing to get you to agree.”
“I’m not one to waste my words.” I gave him a knowing look and he huffed out a smile.
“No, you’re not, are you.”
* * *
Later that night,I stood outside his room, umming and ahhing over whether I should go in. I was dressed in a modest nightdress, nothing racy or too revealing. But I still didn’t want to come across as desperate and needy, or prudish and closed off. Why did life have to always be so complicated? I went to head back to my room and put a cardigan or fleecy jacket on, when his door sprang open.
“Are you gonna stay out here all night wearing a hole in the carpet, or are you coming in?” He gave me one of his lopsided grins and held the door open wider for me.
“I didn’t know whether I’d need another layer,” I said, gesturing to my clothing and stumbling over my words.
“I think you’ll survive. My duvet is kinda cosy.” He looked down at my nightie then turned away. That tick in his jaw had returned, but I didn’t think it was from anger this time.
“You take the bed and I’ll sleep over here.” He walked over to the miniscule couch that sat close to the balcony doors. It didn’t look big enough for Xena to stretch out on, let alone a grown man, and Cill was a tall guy.
“You can’t sleep there. You’ll be stiff in the morning.” I instantly blushed at the innuendo in my statement and started to correct myself to hide my embarrassment. Embarrassment that he found highly amusing. “I mean, you’ll wake up feeling like an eighty-year-old with stiff joints. I don’t mind sharing the bed.” I looked over at the huge king-size. It was big enough for four people and there’d still be room to spare.
“Really? You wouldn’t mind? I’d keep my hands to myself. Promise. I mean, I wouldn’t want to wake up stiff now, would I?” He had a twinkle in his eye as he watched me to gauge my reaction. To be honest, I did expect him to put up more of a fight. But I’d offered, so I’d stick to it. I trusted Cill. I felt safer with him than any other man on this planet.
“I think you’ve proved I can trust you.” He liked that answer; I could tell by the way his chest puffed out with pride.
I climbed under the duvet and got a waft of his scent as I pulled the covers back and up over my chest. I had to stop myself from burying my face into the bed linen and inhaling. God, I loved that smell. I’d forever associate the smell of him with comfort and peace of mind. That, and a whole heap of other emotions I wasn’t ready to admit yet. He brought me comfort and he didn’t even need to be there, I could just burrow into his bed and everything was right with the world. Well, as right as my world could be.
“See. Told you it was cosy.” He totally mistook my snuggling for seeking warmth. I doubted I’d ever be able to admit it was anything else. I’d feel too foolish.
* * *
Cillian
She was tucked up into my bed and rolled up in my duvet like a little kid, and all I could think about was how fucking amazing my sheets were going to smell after she’d been in them. I bloody loved the smell of her. Weird, I know, but I did. All fruity and fresh and just… her. It made me feel like wrapping her up in my arms and smothering her. In a good way, of course. Who was I kidding? It made me horny as hell. The fact that I’d get to sleep next to her was almost too much to bear. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had a woman in my bed. Especially one that gave me feelings like this. No, scrap that. I’d never had a woman in my bed that made me have feelings like this, period. I was seriously screwed. I needed to go and jerk off in the shower before bedtime, just so I didn’t make a fool of myself in the night. She was turning me into a pre-pubescent teenager.
I pulled my T-shirt off and threw it onto the couch. I noticed her take a quick peek before she averted her eyes.
